Matt Rhule is widely known for his work on the football field, but behind the Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach is a longtime partner who has been part of his journey for decades.
That person is his wife, Julie Rhule, formerly Julie Nibert.
Julie and Matt’s relationship goes back to their college years at Penn State. Their story began long before Matt became a major college football coach or took charge of an NFL team. The two met while working at Chili’s, where Julie was a waitress and Matt worked in the kitchen.
They eventually married in 2002 and have built a family together. Today, they have three children, Bryant, Vivienne and Leona.
While Julie has supported Matt through coaching jobs, relocations and the pressures that come with being a high-profile football coach, she has also developed a professional identity of her own.
Who Is Julie Rhule?
Julie Rhule was born Julie Nibert and is originally from Montoursville, Pennsylvania.
Her family background helped shape her early years. Her father, Donald Nibert, worked as a forestry teacher at Pennsylvania College of Technology, while her mother, Donna, studied home economics at West Virginia University.
Julie eventually attended Penn State, where her path crossed with Matt Rhule.
Unlike her husband, Julie has generally stayed away from the center of the sports spotlight. Her life has included work in nutrition, healthcare, family responsibilities and more recently business ownership.
That combination has made her more than simply the wife of a football coach. She has maintained her own career and interests while also helping her family manage the demands of Matt’s profession.
How Matt and Julie Rhule Met
Matt and Julie’s relationship began in a fairly ordinary way.
During their Penn State years, the two worked together at Chili’s. Julie was working as a waitress, while Matt worked as a fry cook and grill worker.
Their friendship developed while they spent time together at work, eventually leading to dates and a serious relationship.
At the time, there was little reason to imagine that Matt would eventually become the head coach of a major college football program. He was simply a young man pursuing his own future, while Julie was building a life and career of her own.
Their relationship survived the changes that came after college, including Matt’s increasingly demanding coaching career.
The couple eventually married in 2002.
Their Marriage Has Lasted Through a Demanding Coaching Career
Being married to a football coach can involve a lifestyle that is very different from a traditional nine-to-five career.
Matt Rhule has worked at several schools and organizations during his coaching career. His professional journey has included Albright College, Temple, Baylor, the Carolina Panthers and Nebraska.
Each move brought new responsibilities and, in some cases, required the family to relocate.
Julie has been alongside him through those changes.
Her support has been particularly important because coaching jobs can bring long hours, intense pressure and periods when the coach has very little time away from football.
Matt has previously described Julie as his “rock,” reflecting the role she has played in his personal and professional life.
Julie Rhule and Their Three Children
Matt and Julie Rhule have three children: Bryant, Vivienne and Leona.
Their children have grown up with a father whose career has required the family to move and adapt to different communities.
Despite the demands of football, family has remained an important part of Matt’s life. Julie has helped provide stability while his coaching career has taken him from one opportunity to another.
Raising three children while also maintaining her own career has been a significant responsibility for Julie.
The Rhule family has also had to adjust to the attention that comes with Matt coaching at major programs. Nebraska football, in particular, comes with a passionate fan base and considerable public interest.
Julie has generally handled that attention quietly.
Julie’s Career in Nutrition and Healthcare
Julie Rhule has an impressive professional background of her own.
She previously worked as a registered dietitian and was associated with Temple University and Sodexo.
Her experience in nutrition and student health gave her a professional path separate from football.
Working in healthcare and nutrition also reflects an interest in helping people improve their health and well-being, something that has remained part of her professional identity.
Her career is an important part of understanding who Julie Rhule is because her life has never been defined entirely by her husband’s coaching career.
She has worked, raised a family and supported Matt while continuing to develop her own interests.
Julie Rhule Becomes a Business Owner
In 2024, Julie entered another professional chapter when she opened a Drybar franchise in Lincoln, Nebraska.
The business, located in the Lincoln SouthPointe area, opened in June 2024.
For Julie, becoming a business owner created an opportunity to establish a new presence in the community where her family was living.
The move also showed that her professional ambitions have continued to evolve over the years.
Rather than simply being known as the wife of Nebraska’s head football coach, Julie has developed a business identity that is distinctly her own.
Her involvement in the local community has also helped connect the family with people outside the football world.
Julie’s Role During Matt Rhule’s Coaching Moves
Matt’s career has included some major transitions.
He became known nationally during his time at Temple, where he helped turn the program into a competitive team and guided the Owls to significant success.
He later took over at Baylor, where he helped rebuild the program and led the team to an 11-3 record and a Sugar Bowl appearance during the 2019 season.
That success eventually opened the door to the NFL.
In 2020, Rhule signed a seven-year contract with the Carolina Panthers. His move to professional football meant another major change for the family.
Julie was reportedly supportive of the decision and played an important role in discussions about the opportunity.
When Matt later moved on to Nebraska, the family once again adapted to a new environment.
Life in Nebraska
Matt Rhule became the head coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers in 2022.
For Julie, Nebraska became more than simply another stop in her husband’s coaching career. It became a place where she could build her own community and professional life.
Her decision to open a Drybar business in Lincoln gave her an opportunity to become involved locally.
At the same time, she continued to support Matt as he worked to rebuild Nebraska football.
The role of a coach’s spouse can be complicated, especially at a program with the history and expectations of Nebraska. Julie has largely stayed focused on her family and professional interests rather than seeking the spotlight.
Julie Rhule’s Influence on Matt
Matt has spoken positively about the role Julie has played throughout his career.
Her support has reportedly been important during difficult decisions, including his move to the Carolina Panthers.
That kind of support can matter greatly for a coach. Football decisions affect more than just the person accepting a job. They can mean moving children, changing schools, leaving friends behind and starting over in another city.
Julie has experienced those changes alongside Matt.
Their long relationship, which began when they were young adults working at Chili’s, has now lasted through more than two decades of marriage and a major coaching career.
A Partnership Beyond Football
Matt Rhule may be the public face of the Rhule family when it comes to football, but Julie has built a story of her own.
She began her professional life in nutrition and healthcare, became a mother of three, supported her husband’s coaching career through multiple moves and eventually became a business owner in Nebraska.
Their relationship has lasted from college through marriage, parenthood and the unpredictable world of football coaching.
For fans searching for information about Matt Rhule’s wife, Julie’s story offers a look at the person who has been beside him through many of the most important chapters of his life.
She is not simply the wife of a Nebraska football coach. Julie Rhule is a former dietitian and nurse practitioner, a mother, a wife and a small-business owner who has built her own professional identity while supporting a demanding family life.
After meeting Matt during their Penn State years and marrying in 2002, the couple have continued to navigate the highs and lows of football together. Their three children, Bryant, Vivienne and Leona, are another important part of that journey.
Today, with the family based in Lincoln, Julie’s business and community work give her a role in Nebraska that exists alongside Matt’s football career.